Cookbook Giveaway: Fast, Fresh & Green

Here’s what I planned to bring with me for a four day getaway in the snow earlier this month:

1. Baked butternut squash (to make wontons and/or as a base for soup)

2. Prepped pan for baked French Toast (a sweet treat, learned from my friend Lisa)

3. Parsley-walnut pesto (perfect on pasta for a carbo load after a day on the mountain)

4. Granola (fast and filling breakfast that holds you until lunch)

5. Hummous (for apres-ski nibbles)

Here’s what I ended up making: Zippo.

Here’s what my pal Katherine was able to rustle up for the trip:

1. Banana-walnut muffins

2. Salsa

3. Hummous

4. Butternut squash and apple soup

5. Roast chicken

What is wrong with me? I seem to have the toughest time carving out time to actually cook. It’s not like we didn’t eat: But I did find myself in the kitchen most nights helping fix something fast for a crew of hungry mouths.

So much for my 2011 food intentions. So far I don’t think I’ve cooked a single new dish or cracked a new cookbook for ideas.

Until now. What better way for busy folks to start the cookbook giveaways this year than with Fast, Fresh & Green: More Than 90 Delicious Recipes for Veggie Lovers (Chronicle Books, $24.95)? It’s written by Susie Middleton, former editor and current editor-at-large for Fine Cooking. (Astute readers will note that I never got around to a giveaway post for January. Another missed goal.)

Middleton and I seem to have similar tastes on the veggie front. I like the sound of Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Orange Butter Sauce, Gingery Braised Brussels Sprouts (I do love these cruciferous veg), Roasted Turnips and Pears with Rosemary-Honey Drizzle, and Sauteed Carrots with Warm Olive and Mint Dressing. And by the time this contest is over I’m determined to report back on how one or more of these dishes tastes, too.

The chef and recipe developer walks readers through nine different techniques, such as braising, sauteing, and stir-frying, and includes a diverse range of recipes for each category of cooking. A few bonus slower-cooking dishes are included in the mix for the simple reason that Middleton adores them. Who can argue against Warm Parmesan Fava Beans with Shallots and Mint or Slow-Roasted Heirloom Tomato Gratin?

Read a review in The Boston Globe. Check out the author’s site six burner sue.  Find recipe excerpts at Fine Cooking. (A note for vegetarians and vegans: A few dishes include meat ingredients that can be omitted. There’s also butter, cream, and mayonnaise in these pages.)

And, if you’re like me and similarly stretched for time to cook, you might find some solace (and recipes too) in this story from my local paper last week, where Chronicle food writer Amanda Gold concedes that cooking after having a child is a tad more challenging than in her pre-baby days.

To win a copy of Middleton’s cookbook leave a comment below about what veggies you’d like to add to your repertoire this year and why, or feel free to pass on a tried and true tip for getting food on the table each night. Katherine’s (see above): Devote a part of one day to whipping up a couple of sauces, spreads, and sides, while you bake or roast in the oven.

Entries must be received by Thursday, February 24, by 10 pm PT.

Winner chosen at random.

My job: I’ll announce the winners on Friday, February 25 and contact the lucky entrant via email. Will mail out shortly thereafter.

Your job:  You’ll have exactly one week to claim your prize. After that, I’ll find an alternate home (also at random) for the book.

Update: The cookbook goes to Kelly T. Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry and check back next month for another giveaway.

Tagged as: chronicle books, cookbook giveaway, fast fresh & green, susie middleton